1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the art of slicing, and more particularly to the art of cutting food items into desired shapes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Slicing shapes in vegetables is generally well known in the culinary art. In particular, the tourné shape is highly regarded for its uniqueness. As shown in FIG. 6, the tourné 10 is roughly flat on two opposing ends 12 and has, extending between those opposing ends 12, seven sides 14 of approximately the same size and at approximately equal angles to each other. The seven sides 14 are tapered at the ends of the vegetable or root, so that the tourné is widest at its midsection and narrowest at the two ends 12.
The tourné shape is unique because it has an uneven number of curved or arced sides. Such shape is desired for food items, such as vegetables and roots, particularly potatoes. However, the unusual shape is difficult to accurately produce by manual cutting. Thus, recreating the tourné shape typically requires a great deal of effort, time, and skill. It would be very desirable to form the tourné shape quickly and efficiently using a device that is simple, portable, and easy to clean.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 397,921 to Joergensen shows a manual potato peeler with a handle and blade. Such peelers and blades are well known in the art, but require great skill to create complex designs.
Peeling apparatuses that hold an article during peeling are generally well known in the culinary art. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,006,621; 2,130,980; 2,521,987; 4,738,195; 4,765,234; 5,950,528; 5,957,045 and 6,408,520 teach various peeling, slicing and coring machines. However, these devices are incapable of shaping an article into a tourné, i.e., a three-dimensional shape with seven arced sides.
U.S. Pat. 5,582,096 to Marton illustrates a more complex vegetable peeling and shaping machine. A potato is held in a chute or tube as blades are fed into and out of slots through the tube or chute to cut portions of the potato away. Similarly, Japanese publication JP 06141991 A illustrates a vegetable cutter, comparable to Marton, that utilizes cutting edges that travel through guides 3 to form curved surfaces. These devices permit the creation of complex shapes, such as the symmetrical “Chateau” shape. However, these devices are complex, relatively expensive, difficult to clean, and relatively difficult to move about or use in a typically crowded kitchen.
Commercial and home chefs still seek a device for forming complex cut shapes, such as a tourné, that is simple, portable, handheld, and easy to clean.